Phantom Code: Terror of Death
by BoogiepopShippuden
Summary: OC Story- Kidnappers, human sacrifices, and life or death duels. I should have stayed away, but I couldn't. It was my only chance to save you.
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh

**. . .**

**Prologue**

It was a bright and sunny day. I thought I'd be safe. Damn, I had no idea she'd have the guts to attack out in the open. I was on my way to my car when she appeared and challenged me to a duel.

I shuffled my deck nervously. "You won't win,Morgan," I promised her. A black headband held up her beautiful hair. It was blonde except for a green streak to the right. It went well with her green wristband.

Perhaps she liked green? Maybe it was because of her eyes? Those angry fear inducing eyes. They were the kinds of things that gave people nightmares.

We faced each other in the middle of an empty parking lot. people rarely came to this mall. It might as well have been abandoned.

I drew five cards. "I summon one card face down in defense mode and play three cards face down. I end my turn." The holograms sprung to life, creating my four facedowns.

She drew a sixth card. "First I activate Heavy Storm and destroy all of your Spells and Trap Cards."

My three facedown cards were blown away. Mirror Force, Magic Cylinder, and Draining Shield all vanished from my side of the field. The loss infuriated me.

"I activate Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three cards and get rid of two. Next I activate Premature Burial, paying 800 Life Points to revive my Terrorking Archfiend." (2000/1500) A vile demonic creature rose on her side of the field. "Next I normal summon Infernal Queen Archfiend, set one card and end my turn." (900/1500)

**Morgan: 7200**

Did she know that my facedown card was Giant Soldier of Stone? I drew my card but got nothing. "I set one monster in facedown defense mode. I set a card and end my turn."

"I pay the cost of my Archfiends." She noted.

**Morgan: 5900**

"Next I use my Queen's effect. She gives my King a 1000 point boost." (3000/1500) "Next I equip him with Megamorph, raising his attack further." (5000/1000) "Next I activate Checkmate. By releasing one Archfiend, my Terrorking can attack directly. Finally, I use Double Attack. Bu discarding a higher level monster from my hand, I can choose one monster to attack twice."

I knew it was over.

The last thing I heard was her laugh.


	2. Calculated Assault

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Touhou

Author's Note: Wish me luck with this story so I don't mess up and have to start over.

…

_Duel Monsters. It's supposed to be a fun game, right? You play it with your friends, maybe even with a stranger or two. So why did everything happen the way it did. I'm still not sure about everything that went on. I was caught up in the middle of a grand adventure without ever realizing much of anything._

...

"Avery, I don't know what Deck I should buy!" Whined the fifteen-year-old boy. "Should I get Machines, Spellcasters, Zombies, or what?" The bangs of his shoulder length black hair fell over his brown eyes, hiding the frustration building up inside him. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans and sighed.

His friend smiled at him. "Well, Jacob, it really depends on what kind of strategy you want to use. For example, Zombies tend to swarm the fields by bringing the dead back to life. Machines have high attack power and powerful effects. Spellcasters aren't that great on their own, but they have great support." Avery's short blond hair swayed in the breeze as the door opened.

"Of course, it's also important that you have fun," a third party interrupted. He looked younger than the other boys did; he couldn't have been more that thirteen. He had cute black hair and wore an oversized light blue hoody with sleeves that draped over his hands. His shorts were completely hidden from view. "I suggest picking something you like."

He walked across the shiny tile floor with inaudible footsteps. "Do you have any Struggle of the Dark Soul Boosters left?" He placed a large pile of cash on the table. "I'd like to buy whatever you have."

The shopkeeper let out an audible gasp. "That's a lot of money; your parents must be rich." He looked like an ordinary old man with a balding head and a big smile. He quickly counted the money and handed most of it back. "Here you go, this is all I have in stock at the moment." He handed over forty booster packs. "Wow, you must be trying hard to get a card you really want. With that much money maybe you should try buying it online."

"There's no thrill in that," the boy explained. "At least, that's my own opinion. I enjoy the excitement every time I open a Booster Pack. You never know what you'll get." He tore the foil open and reached for the cardboard inside. "Looks like I finally found what I've been waiting for."

With those words, he exited the building.

Jacob turned back to the counter and let out a yawn. "I can't make up my mind, they all look so fun to use."

"Why don't you try this one," the shopkeeper suggested. He handed over a Structure Deck with a picture of a machine on the cover. It looked like a red robot with a small display screen for a head and a body filled with numbered buttons. "It's called Calculated Assault. It has a few powerful monsters in there. They just released it yesterday."

"I'll take it," Jacob said enthusiastically. "Oh and I'd like to buy a Duel Disk as well." He handed over some extra money.

"You're in luck," the man said as he reached for a box. "This is our last one." He smiled as Jacob tore the box open and slipped the red metal disk onto his arm.

"Cool, I can't wait to duel you Avery," he said with a smile.

"Well I'm pretty good so you better practice." Avery teased. "Or else I'll OTK you."

"I've seen you duel enough times to learn the basic strategies of the game," Jacob said as he flipped through his deck. He studied the cards, forming strategies in his head. "Hey, let's duel right now."

"Are you sure?" Avery opened the door and let Jacob step outside first. "Don't you want to try to beef up your deck first? I have some extra cards at home; I can give them to you if you want."

"Nah, I want to see how well this deck works out right now. Then I'll know what needs to be added."

They headed for a crosswalk and crossed the street. Stepping into the park near the card shop, Jacob smiled as he saw everyone goofing around. Children in all colors danced in the summer sun. They rolled in fields of flowers as their dogs ran at their sides.

Young coupled held hands as they walked through the playful scenery, taking in all that nature had to offer. Sunflowers sprang from the Earth and decorated the air with a sweet yet subtle scent. A red headed girl walked alongside a white haired boy.

"Hey, is that Celena from school?" Jacob asked. He waved at a red head walking his way. "Hey Celena, who's that friend you've got with you. He your date?" He pointed at the white haired boy following her. He had a black shirt and torn jeans.

"Only way I'd ever date this guy is if someone paid me to do it." She grumbled. She put one hand on her hip and pointed a finger at Jacob. "We just have business to attend to. So if you even think about making a joke about this I will neuter you."

Avery smiled. "Are you going to the Duel Monsters tournament too? I hear the winner gets a rare spell card. I was thinking of heading their later."

"Pfft, I don't have time for Card Tournaments. Sure I may be a casual player but unlike some people I have a life to get to."

"Wow, someone's grouchy today," Jacob complained.

"You're annoying," she said bluntly. "So sue me."

Jacob tried to change the subject. "Hi, I'm Jacob, I'm a friend of Celena's from school." The boy stared blankly at Celena, as if he didn't care about anything else.

"Sorry, he gets like that sometimes," Celena apologized. "Now, as much as I hate to cut this _interesting_ conversation short, Haseo and I were off to buy some cards."

The duo walked off without another word.

"Wow, what was her problem?" Jacob asked.

"Don't mind her, she's just been having a bad few days," an uninvited voice answered.

Jacob spun around to see a young teenager looking up at him. Black hair poked out from under a blue hood. "Hey you're that kid from the card shop right. So did you get anything else good in the Booster Packs you opened?"

"I'm saving those for later," he replied.

"Hey," Avery asked. "You said that Celena's been having a few bad days. Do you know her or something?"

"She's a friend of mine," the child answered.

"Really? I didn't know she had any friends," Jacob responded. "She never seems to talk to anyone at school. Well, I guess there is that albino kid."

"His name is Haseo," the boy corrected. "He's sort of like her Guardian Angel."

"Guardian Angel?" Jacob asked, confused. "What do you mean Guardian Angel?"

"Perhaps Guardian Devil would be a better term." He amended.

"Hey Avery, do you have any clue what this kid is talking about?" Jacob asked Avery. He turned to face his friend.

"What kid?" Avery asked.

"The one right here," Jacob said. He turned to where the boy had been standing, but he was already gone. "That's weird; he was there a moment ago. Stupid ninja child."

"Are you feeling okay Jacob? Maybe we should head home and duel some other time." Avery sounded concerned. "You sound like you need some rest."

"Uhhh it's nothing," Jacob lied. _'Where the Hell did he go? And why do I feel like I've seen this scene in too many movies. That kid is probably off laughing right now. But still, where did he go?' _Jacob shook his head. "Hey I've been waiting ages to finally duel you. Quit stalling and get ready."

"Okay but it's your first time, so I'll be gentle." Avery joked.

"Ewww…." Jacob smiled as he drew five cards. "Well, since I know all about your Cyber Deck, I'll let you have the first move." Jacob watched his friend draw six cards.

"Wise decision, you learn well." Avery smiled. "But I'm afraid that it isn't going to be good enough. I play two cards face down and summon Proto Cyber Dragon in attack mode." (1100/600)" A long metallic snake like monster slithered onto the field. "When this card is on the field, its name is treated as Cyber Dragon. I end my turn."

Jacob drew his next card. "Ore no Turn! I play two cards facedown and summon Fusilier Dragon, the Dual Mode Beast. He's technically an 8 Star Monster, but I can cut his stats in half to summon him without a release." (1400/1000) A large red tank dragon rolled onto the field and aimed its canons at Proto-Cyber Dragon. "I attack your Proto-Cyber Dragon."

"Sorry, Jacob, but you still need more practice." Avery commented. "I activate my Quickplay spell card Limiter Removal. This card doubles the attack of all machine type monsters I control then destroys them at the end of the turn." (2200/600)

"Playing defensively, huh?" Jacob smiled as his monster blew up into pieces of scrap metal. "I end my turn," he stated. He watched Proto-Cyber Dragon do the same.

**Jacob 7200**

"My turn," Avery exclaimed as he drew. "I activate my facedown Heavy Storm to destroy your cards." A gale of hurricane force winds blew away Jacob's two facedowns.

"Go, Scapegoat, summon 4 Scapegoat Tokens to protect my Life Points." Jacob held out his arm defiantly. _'Too bad this lets him use his Cyber Dragon's effect." _

"Fist I play Pot of Greed to draw two cards. Next, I normal summon Cyber Kirin from my hand and release him to use his effect. Now if I take effect damage this turn, the damage is negated. So now I activate Power Bond to fuse the two Cyber Dragons in my hand into Cyber Twin Dragon and double his attack." (5600/2100) "This monster can attack twice during the same standby phase. Go, attack him twice." The twin headed mecha-dragon blew away two helpless sheep tokens. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Jacob grunted as he drew. I activate Monster Reborn to bring back my dead Dual Mode Beast in attack mode." (2800/2000) "And now his effect doesn't cut his attack points in half."

"Sorry, but that doesn't do much good against my dragon," Avery stated.

"Not until I summon the Calculator!" Jacob stated dramatically. "This card's attack is equal to the total level of all monsters I control times 300. So right now there's itself, a level 2 monster, a level 7 dragon, and my two level 1 tokens!" (3300/0) "It may not be enough yet, but this card's potential can always grow. I set two more cards face down and end my turn."

"Sorry, but I won't give you that long." Avery said as he drew his next card. "Go Cyber Twin Dragon, attack his Dual Mode Beast."

"I activate Metal Reflect slime to summon a level ten wall monster to my field." Jacob said with a smile. "Next I activate Shift to change the target of the attack to my Calculator."

Avery smiled as his Cyber Twin Dragon charged toward the stronger monster. (6300/0) "Good move, Jacob, even I have to admit that." His Cyber Twin Dragon crashed into the monster's outstretched hand.

**Avery: 7300**

"I activate my facedown Swords of Revealing Light to halt all attacks for three turns." Avery nodded. "Your move."

Swords made of light plunged down from the sky. They surrounded Jacob, leaving him feeling trapped.

Jacob took his turn. "Looks like I've managed to get you on the defensive." He examined his card and smiled. "Your move."

Avery smiled. "I activate Card of Sanctity. This card lets us both draw until we have six cards in our hand." He replenished his hand and grinned. I activate Monster Reborn to bring back my Cyber Twin Dragon." (2800/2100) "Next I activate Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard two." He grabbed three cards and examined them for only a second before getting rid of the two he didn't want in his hand. Next, I use Rush Recklessly to give my monster a 700 attack point boost for this turn." (3500/2100) "Next I'll use Mystical Space Typhoon to blow away your Slime!"

Jacob watched his hologram shatter into pieces and listened to the sound of his Calculator's attack points dropping down.

"Go, Cyber Twin Dragon, destroy _his_ Dragon." With a blinding stream of light, Cyber Twin Dragon blew the other dragon away.

**Jacob: 6500**

"Now, take care of his Calculator." Avery ordered.

With another attack, Jacob felt his Life Points tumble.

**Jacob: 4200**

"Next I set two cards facedown and end my turn."

Jacob drew. "Looks like you reversed the situation. Oh well, I'm not in a pinch yet. I summon Cirno to the field!" (300/300) He called out a large fairy with a pink blouse and a blue one-piece skirt. She had icy blue hair and icicle wings. "Fist I'll use De-Spell to rid the field of your Swords of Revealing Light. Then, I'll use Cirno's Special Effect to attack you directly. And here's some good news for me. You can't activate Spells or Traps until the end of the damage step."

Cirno flew forward and crashed into Avery.

**Avery: 7000**

"Next her effect activates and I can destroy a spell or trap. So say good bye to one of your facedown cards." Cirno snapped her finger and engulfed Avery's card in a glacier. It broke into a million pieces, taking the card with it. "I play one card facedown and end my turn."

Avery grabbed a new card from his deck. "I summon Mechanicalchaser and attack your Scapegoat!" (1850/800)

"I should have known you had that card." Jacob said with a smile. _'It used to be highly sought after. It had the highest attack of any Level 4 monster without a drawback, until they kept releasing tons of 1900 attack point monsters." _The newbie duelist swung his arm out. "I activate Yukkuri Shiteitte Ne! When I have a Cirno on my field, I can use this card just like Negate Attack. But it also has another side effect. It raises my Cirno's level by 1, and her attack and defense are her level times 3, so that brings both her stats up." (600/600)

"I'll set one more card and end my turn." Avery conceded.

Jacob drew. "During my standby phase, Cirno's level goes up by one." [(3) (900/900)] A smile broke out on his lips. "I release the two monsters on your side of the field to Special summon Lava Golem in Defense mode." (3000/2500)

A large beast of molten lava appeared on Avery's side of the field. "Cirno will attack and then I set one card and end my turn," Jacob watched his fairy collide with Avery then waited for his friend to make a move. One of Avery's cards froze over and broke.

Avery drew a card and watched his Life Points take a tumble. "That's right, this card deals me 1000 damage each turn."

**Avery: 5100**

'_I could summon a monster then attack, but that card could be a Mirror Force or something like it. Best to play on the safe side.' _Avery thrust his finger at Cirno. "Lava Golem, Magma Fist!" The creature drew back his fist and aimed a punch at the tiny fairy."

"Go, Nightmare Wheel!" Jacob commanded. A large metal wheel appeared and bound the Lava Golem. "This card stops your monsters attack and deals you 500 damage during each of my turns."

"I summon a second Mechanicalchaser and end my turn." (1850/800)

"I draw."

**Avery: 4600**

Jacob frowned when he realized he had a decision to make. His Cirno's level rose by 1. [(4) (1200/1200)] "I activate Perfect Math Class. This card can be activated only when two of your monsters have Levels whose sum or difference equals the level of a Cirno I control. In this case, 8 minus 4 is 4."

Jacob thought it over. _'I can destroy one of those two monsters then raise Cirno's Level by that monster's level. If I destroy the Lava Golem then I gain a massive attack boost but he stops taking the automatic damage each turn. Then again, its only 1500 damage and killing the Golem would be a 2400 points boost. But if I get rid of the Mechanicalchaser that's a 1200 point boost plus the 1500 damage each turn, for a total of 2700 each turn. But if I get rid of the Golem then I can better protect Cirno.'_

"I can select one of those two monsters and destroy it. So say goodbye to your Lava Golem." An iceberg tore through the Earth and up to the sky, taking the Golem with it. Next, I raise Cirno's Level by that monster's level. [(12) (3600/3600)]

"Hmmm, I wanted to save this for something big so here it goes," Avery smiled. "I activate Ring of Destruction to blow away Cirno." A metal ring equipped itself to the fairy and exploded. "It destroys one monster and then we both take damage equal to its attack points."

**Avery: 1000**

**Jacob: 600**

The newbie grunted in dismay. _'Crap, all I have are Spell Cards and a Greed Quasar. It looks like he's going to win this duel soon enough.'_

Avery grabbed his next card. I summon my third Mechanicalchaser and attack both of your Scapegoats." (1850/800) The two machines cut through the helpless sheep with their arsenal of weapons. "I end my turn."

Jacob drew. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Avery took his next turn. He drew a fourth card. "Looks like I win this," he said with a smile. "Go Mechanical," before he could complete the phrase, he suddenly clutched his head in pain. "Owww," he screamed.

"Are you okay?" Jacob asked. He rushed to his friend's side.

"It hurts," he whimpered. And then he fell to his knees screaming.

…

_We never got to finish that game. We were both so close to the losing. He was attacking and I was just about to use Mirror Force. Then, suddenly he started to scream in pain. I freaked out and called for help. He had to be taken to the hospital. Little did I know, that's when things would start going to Hell. Maybe one day we'll get to play again. And then hopefully we'll get to finish our duel._


	3. Infernal Core

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Alice in Wonderland or Touhou

Also credit time: Haseo belongs to Tsukiyomaru as does Celena. Haseo, as you may realize, is named after a .hack character. I don not own .hack either. Morgan, belongs to my friend Aya. Also, now that I think about it, I may have accidentally modeled the openings after Lux-Nero's style, though really, I tried to make the entire thing first person and it didn't work. Sorry Lux-Nero-sama, I hope you don't mind.

…

_So what the Hell happened? The doctors said he wasn't the only one who fainted around that time. Five other kids all fainted at the same time. The weird part, they were all in the middle of a duel. Kaiba Corp must have gotten a lot of angry phone calls. I mean, their products were about the only thing linking the cases. Well, besides the cards of course, but machines are so much easier to blame then cardboard._

…

"Are you sure that you should be walking around outside?" Jacob asked Avery. His red T-shirt and blue jeans were wet from lying on the grass. It had been raining only a few minutes before they decided to head back to the same park they had been at two days ago.

Avery chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm fine." He assured his friend. "The doctor said it's fine."

A small black Chihuahua scampered toward the boys, stopping to pee on Jacob.

"Gross," Jacob squealed as he rolled out of the way of the yellow stream. Avery only laughed.

"Bad Hayate," a young woman scolded. "I'm so sorry," she apologized. She swooped by and scooped the naughty puppy into her arms. "He gets like that sometimes."

"It's okay," Jacob said as he eyed the girl. She had shoulder length brown hair and wore a light pink shirt with a purple skirt. She looked like she was about eighteen. "Hey don't I know you from somewhere?"

"Hey, you're Haruka, right?" exclaimed Avery. "You're the girl who won the Duel Tournament two days ago. That was an amazing duel. I wish I could have entered but I got sick."

Haruka smiled. "Yep, that's me." She bent over and put Hayate on the ground. "I had a lot of fun too. I thought I might even win, but that Kosinto kid was amazing. I'd never seen a deck like that before."

Jacob held out his hand and let the puppy playfully lick his palm. "Your dog is really cute," Jacob commented, completely forgiving his early display of poor manners.

"Thanks," Haruka said. "He was a gift from my father. He's really special to me. Though, I really am sorry about earlier. Tell you what, I'm about to drop him off at home. Why don't I take you guys out for a burger somewhere? My treat."

Jacob smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"Okay, I live right across the street, give me five minutes and I'll be right back." She dashed off into the distance. Avery smiled as he watched her walk away.

"She's cute," he said.

"I thought you had a crush on Shiki, from school?" Jacob joked.

"Well, I'm just trying to keep my options open," Avery joked. He fell back onto the grass. "Besides, it's not like it's a serious crush or anything. Just typical hormone antics."

Jacob smiled at the idea. "So, have you ever seriously been in love?"

"No, not really. You?"

Jacob thought about it for a moment, trying to figure out the answer. "I, I think so." He decided. "With Makoto," he concluded sadly.

"Oh," Avery responded. "You two were close before the accident." Avery closed his eyes and tried to remember her face. "You know, she was the one who taught me how to duel. She even gave me this Cyber Deck." He held up his cards. The sunlight shone over them, surrounding their image with a heavenly border of light.

"Really? I never knew that."

…

_Avery stood in an empty grass field facing a girl with long green hair. She wore a French Maid uniform with an extra large bow in the back, and slim glasses that gently framed her eyes. "I'll take the first move," said the girl._

"_Are you sure? It means I'll be able to summon my Cyber Dragon that much quicker," Avery warned._

"_Don't think that will be enough to give you an advantage though. I Summon Souler Knight-Valence in attack mode."_

…

"We dueled a lot, but I never beat her once. Her Souler Knight deck was way too powerful for me to handle." Avery sighed.

"Souler Knight Deck? What's that?" Jacob asked. He had never heard of the cards before, but for some reason the name sounded familiar. "Do they have something to do with the sun?"

"No, they were Souler Knights spelled S-O-U-L-E-R. They focused on drawing power from the souls of the fallen, never letting the vanquished go to waste. She said that even in death people still have meaning, and that's what her deck represented."

"Even in death?" Jacob struggled to grasp the concept. "Hey Avery?' he turned to his friend, expecting some sort of response. Instead, Avery sat on the ground and stared blankly into the distance. His body seemed frozen in time and space.

"Avery?" Jacob asked. He scanned the area for someone he could call for help. Everyone else seemed frozen in place as well. Like a photograph, people stood unmoving. A Frisbee hung in mid air as a dog waited for it mid jump.

"Yes, even in death. That's what she said." A familiar voice answered him. Jacob stood up and turned around. Peeking at him with twinkling eyes was the same hooded kid from before.

"Hey, it's you again," Jacob pointed at the boy accusingly. "What's going on?" He demanded.

Smiling like the Cheshire Cat, he simply said, "_She_ is making her move."

Jacob blinked. He found himself lying on his back once more. Avery stood over him looking concerned.

"Hey, Jacob, are you okay?" The boy asked. "Are you sure that _you _don't need a doctor."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied.

"Really? You've been zoning out for like, three minutes."

"I have?" Jacob grabbed his face and moaned in pain. He massaged his head gently, trying to ease the migraine that began attacking him. "My brain hurts."

"Maybe you're just hungry?" Suggested a female voice. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long," Haruka said with a smile.

…

The trio stood in line at a crowded fast food restaurant. The sounds of friends chattering, burgers grilling, and customers placing orders filled the air. The smell of greasy oil, fatty burgers, sizzling bacon, and melted cheese made Jacob's stomach rumble. He could feel it moving uncomfortably inside of his body. _'I didn't realize I was this hungry.'_

"I'll take a," Jacob scrutinized the menu. "I'll have a Mega Moink Meal. Make it a Mighty Size with a chocolate shake."

"That'll be twenty nine sixty nine."

"Wow, you sure have a healthy appetite," Haruka teased. She reached into her wallet for some cash. "That's good. My nephew doesn't eat anything but health food. He's only eight and he's dieting like that. Sometimes I really can't understand him."

"Lot's of kids have weird eating habits," Jacob pointed out. "When I was little, I used to eat banana and tomato sandwiches."

Haruka made a face of displeasure. "It's weird though. This kid won't even touch candy or ice cream." Haruka moaned. "Sorry, I guess I'm making a big deal out of nothing."

"Ehh, don't worry about it," Avery stood on the side, waiting for their order to come up. "So, really, he doesn't like any junk foods?"

"The closest he comes is chocolate milk," Haruka told her new friend. "It's the strangest thing."

"I have a Chibi Moinker Meal, Mega Moink Meal with a shake, a Garden Salad with fries and a drink, and a Bacon Moinker Meal," said one of the workers. She had short grey hair and wore the standard black and red uniform; her nametag revealed that her name was Terra.

"That's ours," Haruka said as she grabbed the food. "Thank you." The trio made their way toward the table. "Hayate loves burgers. I always have to get him some when I come here."

"I remember my aunt used to have a cat that loved this place too. She preferred the chicken nuggets though," Jacob remembered. He unwrapped his burger and bit in. Sweet ketchup and tangy mustard splashed onto his tongue as he bit into the juicy tomato, crisp lettuce, and soft burger.

Avery smiled as he watched his friend devour the food. "Slow down or you'll choke."

Haruka stuck her fork into her salad and took a bite. "So, Avery, Jacob, what kind of decks do you use?" she asked them.

"I just bought the new Calculated Assault structure deck. I haven't gotten any new cards for it yet. It pretty much focuses on getting a few high level monsters to the field and using the Calculator to kick ass. Of course, my favorite card has got to be Cirno."

"I use a Cyber Deck," Avery told her.

"Cool, we should duel sometime, maybe when lunch is over. I just upgraded my Lightsworn Deck with a few new additions. I think the power level's gone up by at least twenty percent."

"Cool, we really should duel." Avery bit into his burger. "I haven't played with any body recently, besides Jacob that is, and he's still a newbie."

Jacob frowned. "Well excuse me for not being a champion." He took a sip of his chocolate shake and let it wash over his mouth.

Haruka giggled.

"_Hey, this isn't some game you know!"_

Jacob searched for the source of the commotion. "Anyone else hear that?' He asked. He worried that things were getting freaky again.

"_I fully realize that. Do you?"_

"It's coming from outside." Haruka pointed at two duelists standing outside the restaurant.

"Hey, it's Celena and Haseo," Avery stated. "It looks like she's about to duel someone. Wanna go watch?"

Haruka and Avery stood from their seats and walked outside. Jacob grabbed his milkshake before following.

…

A red haired girl stood facing a blonde girl with a green highlight. "Morgan I don't know what you're up to but it's dangerous. Someone like you should stay out of it and leave this to the pros who actually know what they're doing."

"If by pros you mean idiots running around like chickens with their heads cut off then no way am I leaving this up to you." Morgan drew six cards from her deck. "I set one card face down and summon my Infernal Queen Archfiend." (900/1500) "Next I equip her with Unstable Evolution and end my turn."

"I draw," Celena smirked.

Morgan smiled. "During either player's Standby Phase, my Queen's effect activates. I get to choose one Archfiend and raise his or her attack by 1000!"

A violet glow engulfed the Archfiend as her attack points soared into the quadruple digits. (1900/1500) "Now get on with your turn before I get bored."

"A monster that can reach 2900 attack points on the turn after it's summoned. Sounds broken. What the Hell were they thinking when they made that card?" Celena roared.

"They needed powerful cards for unskilled Duelists like her," Haseo surmised. "That way they a least stand a small chance against talented people like you, milady."

The door swung open and Jacob exited with his friends.

"Oh great, an audience. Don't you three have anything better to do?" Celena asked. Ignoring them, she summoned a monster. "Come on out, Core Chimail Drago." (1900/1600) A blue dragon with four wings flew down from the sky. "As long as he is on the field, you can't Special Summon Light or Dark type monsters," she proudly announced.

"Looks like that may give me a small bit of trouble. Too bad for you I can easily crush that thing." Morgan laughed. She grinned. "Why don't I show you what I have in store for you?"

Celena grinned back. "And now I shall continue my first turn with a few tricks of my own. By starting with Double Summon, I can perform an additional normal summon this turn. So I'll release my Drago to bring out the powerhouse of my deck. He normally takes two releases but a single Core Chimail will suffice. So say hello to my Core Chimail Valafar!" (3000/2100) The beast had a red body and wings of fire. It stood on two feet and stretched his arms menacingly at the Infernalqueen. "It looks like he hungers for your blood. But first, I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Drago and once more seal off your ability to Special Summon Light and Dark monsters."

Haseo grinned. "This is the power of Lady Celena's deck. She can't possibly lose to an inferior player like you."

Morgan frowned as she stepped up to Haseo. "Shut up, you're annoying," she said bluntly. Before Haseo could react, she delivered a kick to his shin that left him hopping in pain.

"What was that for?" Celena demanded.

"Your boyfriend is annoying."

"He's not my boyfriend!" Celana grumbled. "I attack your monster with my Valafar. Go, Flare Fist!" Valafar's hand caught fire as it flew toward Infernalqueen Archfiend at amazing speeds. He became a blur; the only hint at his location was the fiery red glow of his burning hand. He threw his punch at the queen, and met an invisible barrier.

"Negate attack stops you from getting to my monster for this turn," Morgan explained.

Celena mumbled a few curse words under her breath and sighed. "I end my turn which means that my Core Chimail's activate their negative effects. Valafar demands that I send one Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru from my hand to the grave or I destroy it. Luckily I drew one this turn." She slipped a Spell Card into her graveyard. "Drago demand that I do the same thing, or I can just reveal to you a Dragon card in my hand." She grabbed the last card in her hand and flipped it toward Morgan. "Oh look, it's another Drago."

Morgan drew. "During my standby phase, my Archfiend Queen activates both of her effects. First I pay 500 Life Points."

Morgan listened to her Life Point counter trickling down.

**Morgan: 7500**

"Now that you have the lead in Life Points, my Unstable Evolution kicks into effect. The equipped monster's original attack becomes 2400. But that's not all; I raise my Queen's attack with her effect once more, thus bringing her total attack up to 4400!" (4400/1500) Morgan smiled. "Now I summon my second Infernalqueen Archfiend in defense mode."

"Too bad for you my Valafar can deal piercing damage unless you take him out this round," Celena warned. "And that just leaves me with my Drago to kick your butt."

"You should really try to think ahead, "Haseo lectured. "Even if you do claim the lead from Milady, you will weaken your own monster and she will crush it on her next turn, taking the lead back. You truly are an amateur."

Morgan smiled. "I equip my second Queen with Heart of Clear Water! Now she can't be destroyed in battle. Of course, this means she's going to make life a living hell for you in just a short while. But for now, I'll have my other Archfiend destroy your Drago. Razor Nightmare!" A stream of razor sharp wind gathered around Drago, slicing him to shreds. Celena concentrated on the attack and could have sworn she saw faint traces of purple energy slicing her poor monster into puppy chow.

**Celena: 5500**

With Morgan in the lead, Unstable Evolution's downside kicked in, reducing her Queen's original attack to 1000. It was still an improvement over what it would have been without the equip.

(3000/1500)

"I end my turn."

Celena reached for a card from her deck. "Now, I activate the effect of my Iron core. During my draw phase, if this card is in the grave, I can either d it to my hand by skipping my draw phase or discard a Core Chimail monster to ad it to my hand. So I'm getting rid of the second Drago I hold in my hand so I can reclaim the core." She looked at her new card.

"Don't forget, both my Queen's can raise an Archfiend's attack. So I'm using them both on my first Queen. A purple glow surrounded Morgan's monster once again. Her attack points climbed upward to an impressive 5000.

"I use Pot of Greed to refresh my hand with two new cards." She smiled. "I set one card face down and attack your Queen in defense."

Valafar flew into the heavens and unleashed a storm of fireballs from above the field. They rocked the Earth with a series of explosions. "Heaven's Inferno!"

Infernalqueen Archfiend managed to withstand the attack, but Morgan's Life Points still took a hit.

**Morgan: 6000**

"I end my turn. And of course that means discarding my Iron core."

Morgan grabbed her next card. "Now I lose 1000 Life Points.

**Morgan: 5000**

And you have the lead again." She smiled as her Infernalqueen archfiend's attack rose to 6400. "But that's not all, Ill boost her attack by 2000 more points." (8400/1500) She examined the three cards in her hand. _'I can summon my Terrorking, boost his attack to 10400 with Gift of the Martyr, and use checkmate to finish her off.' _She grabbed her king. "I play Terrorking Archfiend in attack mode."

"Go, Torrential Tribute." Celena ordered.

A flood swept through the field. Raging waters crashed down on the monsters. Morgan heard three cards shattering. _'Why only three?' _Morgan wondered.

When the waters washed away, Celena's Core Chimail Valafar stood triumphantly. "Did I mention he can't be destroyed by trap cards?"

"I set two cards face down and end my turn." Morgan groaned.

"I'll once again use Iron Core's effect. This time I'll skip the draw phase to add it to my hand. Next I'll attack you directly with my Valafar."

The Core Chimail shot an angry flame at Morgan's empty field. The fire rushed over the open Duelist and cut her Life Points down to less than half.

**Morgan: 2000**

"Filth like you isn't worth Lady Celena's time. Just forfeit now instead of wasting your final turn," Haseo commanded.

"I end my turn and send the Iron Core to my graveyard to keep my monster on the field." Celena waited for Morgan to make her next move. _'She's in a pinch. There's no way she can make it out of this. I just need to keep up the onslaught and I'll have her beat.'_

"Ore no turn," Morgan cried. Her use of the masculine term ore didn't seem to faze anyone. "I activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards." She picked up two more cards and smiled. "Let me show you what I can do. I activate Soul Release to remove your Iron Core from play. And I'll chain my own card with Emergency Provisions to send it and my two facedowns to the grave. This recovers 1000 Life Points per card for a total of 3000.

**Morgan: 5000**

"Foolish fiend," Haseo growled. "All you are doing is prolonging the inevitable. Celena will still crush you."

"I end my turn." Morgan growled. Celena drew. "I summon Core Chimail War Arms." (1400/1200) "I attack you directly with both monsters." Celena watched her two monsters lay waste to Morgan, dropping her Life Points to a dangerously low number.

**Morgan: 600**

"See, Milady already has you on your last breath."

"Shut up," Celena ordered. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Haseo fell silent.

'_Wow,' _thought Jacob. _'I was sure that Morgan had this won. Now it looks like Celena's going to defeat her.'_

Morgan grabbed her next card. "Don't think this is over just yet." She said with a smirk. "I summon my third Infernalqueen Archfiend and attack you directly." (900/1500)

"Is that all you ever summon?" Celena complained s the familiar wind tore at her Life Points.

**Celena: 4400**

"I end my turn and yours begins." Morgan grinned.

Celena drew her card and watched the familiar light engulf the Archfiend. (1900/1500) "I end my turn."

Morgan drew, and her Archfiend grew in power. (2900/1500) The power boost was not without its drawbacks.

**Morgan: 100**

"I activate the Field Spell Pandemonium." Morgan grinned. "Now I no longer need to pay to keep my Archfiends around. So I'll have my Queen attack you directly."

"I activate Defense Draw!" Celena swung her arm out. This negates the damage OI take and let's me draw one card." Her hand gained a much-needed card.

"Go," barked Morgan.

Celena drew another card and smiled. Even when the archfiend gained another 1000 points, she kept smiling. "Here we go. I activate Change of Heart! I gain control of your Infernalqueen and attack you directly."

Morgan grinned. "Let's see shall we. If luck is on my side or yours." A skeletal die appeared on the field and spun into the air. "When my Infernalqueen is targeted by an effect you control, I roll a die. If it's 2 or a 5, I negate the effect and destroy that card. So, let's see if you can take control of my monster or not."

Celena watched the die intensely. Morgan barely seemed to care.

The die landed and spun around before freezing.

"Wait, what just happened?" Jacob asked. "Why did the die stop?" When nobody answered, he wanted to scream. Time had stopped once again. The familiar young boy returned to his side. This time he wore a bright pink sweater with the hood down.

"As you can see," the boy began.

"Cut the vague and dramatic crap. Tell me what's going on here." Jacob was not amused.

"You are about to decide the outcome of this duel." The boy answered. "The last card in Celena's hand is an Iron Core. She can't do anything with it at the moment. If her Change of Heart succeeds, she wins the duel. If it fails, Morgan will attack her directly and win. What do you want the die to roll?"

"What are you talking about?" Jacob asked.

"You shall decide the winner, Jacob Darwin. It's as simple as that."

'_Well, I do know Celena from school. But she isn't very nice. This girl doesn't seem very nice either. But_ _at least she isn't as mean as Celena.'_

He still wasn't sure what was going on. "How do I choose?"

"Just pick a number in your head," the boy commanded. He faded away.

"Hey come back here, I'm not done!" Jacob growled. He turned back to the duel. "Okay, let's see if this works. I pick…five."

Time sprang back to life. The die rolled on the ground before landing with the number five facing up. Celena's Change of Heart shattered.

"Looks like I'm luckier." Morgan said with a smile. "So are you going to play that one last card or what?"

Celena set her card and smiled. "Yes. I'll play it facedown and end my turn." She put on the biggest grin she could muster, trying to scare Morgan into skipping her battle phase.

Morgan simply drew a card and gave an order. "Attack."

Her Infernalqueen Archfiend charged toward Celena and swiped at her wide-open body.

Celena let out a yelp of pain as she fell over. Her Life Points tumbled.

**Celena: 0**

Morgan smiled. "Heh, of you think you're actually good at this game you are sadly mistaken. Just because you won a few tournaments doesn't make you anything special."

Jacob shot Celena a quizzical look. _'I thought she didn't enter tournaments?'_

Celena grumbled. "You got lucky. If it weren't for that I would have taken control of your queen and won."

"Too bad for you luck is all a part if dueling. Until you realize this you don't stand a chance against them."

Morgan turned and walked away. Celena glared at her back. "I swear that when I meet her again I'll win."

Jacob wanted to tell her to calm down, but didn't want to risk the chance of being killed. That's when he noticed a figure in the distance. _'It's that kid.' _He turned to Avery and Haruka."Sorry guys, I need to go somewhere really quick. Thanks for the food, Haruka."

He ran off.

"Is he always like this?"

"Sometimes."

_I wanted some answers. I never realized that they would be so frightening. Kidnappers, human sacrifices, and two mysterious organizations at the center of it all. But I was going to get caught up in it anyway, whether I wanted to or not. After all, it was my only shot at saving Avery. _


	4. The Child's Intent

Disclaimer: I don't own

…

_I followed that kid so I could demand some answers. When he gave them to me, I wasn't sure whether I should believe them. But the truth became apparent for the most part. Still, I'm not sure if I can believe everything he said or not. Even after everything that happened, some of what he said some of it still sounds way too out there._

…

"Hey, wait up," Jacob shouted. _'Crap, this must look bad. I'm chasing a kid who looks a lot younger than me. I hope no one thinks I'm attacking him.' _Jacob moved his legs as fast as he could, running at full speed. The young child was much faster than he was, and he struggled to keep up.

"You know," he called back; "I'm not even going as fast as I can."He vanished into a tall grey building. Nothing about the building stood out, it was a simple rectangular building that aimlessly stretched into the sky.

"What's he doing in the Towa Building?" Jacob wondered aloud. _'That place has been abandoned for years, ever since the Towa Project failed. Now it's just an empty mass of nothingness.'_

Jacob paused in front of the building and opened the massive steel doors. "I'm surprised this isn't locked."

His foot hit the concrete floor and his footstep echoed through the emptiness. He spotted the boy waiting for him on the steel stairway. Jacob took a step forward and the boy took off. The stairs clanged as he ran.

Jacob made it to the stairway quickly, but the boy had already made it to the top and out through the door. He followed angrily. "Stop running will you?"

He found himself alone on the roof. "Hey, where did you go?" He was several stories up. Looking down over the edge of the building, he could barely see the street below. The people looked like specks of dirt.

The wind raged, threatening to knock him over.

"I'm up here," answered the boy. He stood on top of a higher part of the roof, completely inaccessible by normal means. "You'll need to climb up here if you want to talk to me." He vanished from sight.

"God, what is up with this kid?" Jacob moaned. Jacob reached for a brick and gripped it tightly. Slowly, he moved his foot toward another brick and tried to find some way to get good footing on the side of the wall.

"Hurry, I haven't got all day. If you aren't up here soon, I may just have to vanish, again."

Using more upper body strength than he was used to mustering, Jacob managed to pull himself up. It took him a good ten minutes but he managed.

"Wow, you're slow," the boy teased. "I almost gave up on you and left."

"Cut the crap and tell me what the Hell is going on!" Jacob demanded. Forgetting all pretenses of manner and all prejudices against attacking kids younger than he was, Jacob grabbed the boy by the collar of his sweater and pulled him closer. "I'm getting sick and tired of all of this!"

The boy smiled and simply thrust his foot forward into Jacob's crotch. He smiled as the older male dropped to the ground writhing in agony as pain coursed through his body.

Jacob let out a moan of pain. He cradled his groin gently as his body rolled around.

"Let that be a lesson to you. Never try to hit someone unless you're prepared for them to strike back."

"Who are you?" Jacob managed.

"My name is Artemis," the boy answered. "Or you can call me by my code name, Zelkova." Artemis smiled.

"Okay, now explain how you keep appearing and disappearing and why time keeps freezing." Jacob had finally stopped rolling on the ground in pain.

"It's quite simple really. My power allows me to freeze time for anyone I choose. So naturally, I can just freeze time whenever I want and move wherever I want. Additionally, I can allow you to move throughout the frozen time and even reset your location once time restarts. They're all elementary tricks I hold up my sleeve. Of course, there's more to my power than that; but we needn't get into that for now. So I suppose next you'll want to ask me about what I'm up to, or about how you were able to manipulate the die roll."

"Let's start with the die roll," Jacob suggested. He slowly rose to his feet.

"Also simple," Artemis began. "That's _your_ power. You have the ability to change probability. To a certain degree that is. You can manipulate a card draw or change the outcome of a coin toss. With that skill, anyone running a luck-based deck would have a nearly unstoppable advantage. I highly recommend you take that into consideration when you make your next deck. Of course, you need to learn to activate your powers at will first. I won't always be around to give you the time you need."

"But, why the Hell would I want to cheat? That would take the fun out of the game!" Jacob protested.

"That is entirely your choice to make. Whether you want to have fun or not while playing," Artemis smirked.

"You're the one who said the game is supposed to be fun!"

"It's supposed to be," Artemis agreed. "But not when certain forces get in the way. Listen up, because I do not ant to have to repeat myself. I'm part of an Organization known as Phantom Code. We monitor the activities of duelists everywhere. Are you familiar with the string of kidnappings that's been going on for about two years?"

"Yeah, the police have been searching for clues but they never seem to be able to get anywhere with the case." Jacob could tell this would be going somewhere he didn't want it too. _'What the Hell do card games have to do with kidnappings?'_

"The Phantom code has been looking into that for a while now. We believe a group known as Hanyami is behind the crime. We've been investigating and,"

"Wow, your secret Organization must suck if it's taking you that long." Jacob teased.

"Hanayami is unusually secretive. We've been making as much progress as we can and trying not to let them claim too many lives."

"Okay, cut the bull, there is no way that those kidnappings have anything to do with card games."

Artemis grinned. "You have so much to learn. In this world, _everything_ has to do with card games. There are movies, books, manga, television programs, and video games about Duel Monsters. There's a Duel Monsters for Dummies how to guide. There are classes in Elementary School that teach children how to duel. This world has been taken over by the game."

Jacob sighed. "But what the Hell does any of that have to do with kidnapping?"

"Every single child taken by Hanayami is a Duelist. Of course, that's not too unlikely considering that these days most children and teens are duelists. However, this is no coincidence. They're after young duelists so that they can unlock something. We're not sure what it is just yet. Some think it's a powerful spirit, others say it's a deadly card."

"Wait, children are being kidnapped and killed so that someone can get their hands on a card?" Jacob asked in disbelief.

"This world is a horrid place. That's why there are those of us who wish to change it. That's what Phantom Code is." Artemis leaned down and helped Jacob to his feet. "We're a group of Duelists out to change the world with cards games."

"That sounds so stupid."

"Do I need to kick you again?" Artemis threatened.

Jacob jumped back. His hands shot to his groin, ready to protect against any incoming attacks.

"Now, please shut up. I haven't got all day." Artemis sighed. "Phantom Code's goal is to protect the dueling world from any dueling threats. That's why we're after Hanayami. And I'm here to ask for your help."

"Yeah sorry, but if I did believe that ludicrous story, there's no way in Hell I'd get involved in something so dangerous." Jacob turned away. "Sorry, but I'm leaving."

Artemis sighed. "It's only a mater of time before they go after Avery."

Jacob turned back angrily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"We've determined that he's on their list of targets. They'll be after him soon enough. And without your help, it's entirely possible that he'll die."

Jacob growled. "Stop it with your sick joked kid, they aren't funny."

"I have the power to stop time and you think I'm wasting it making stupid jokes like these. If I wanted to play some stupid prank on you I'd strip you naked and leave you in the middle of the street." Artemis reached for his deck and pulled out a card. "Look, believe me or not. Just, take this card with you in case something happens."

He tossed Jacob a single card.

_The Paths of Destiny._

"Okay, so, if they're after Avery, what do I need to do?" Jacob asked.

"Meet me here everyday at three," Artemis instructed. "I'll bring a different deck each day and we'll train. Also, make sure you buy some new cards to strengthen your deck." Artemis thought things over for a minute. "And when we're done, we need you to help us take on the bad guys. Now is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"Tell me what you know about Hanayami?"

Artemis sighed. "Have you heard of a Duelist named Chigusa Yamaguchi?"

"The one who died three years ago?"

"According to out sources she's at the bottom of this. Now, I'm sorry to cut this short, but I need to leave." Artemis vanished in an instant.

"Good-bye, I guess." Jacob began climbing down the side. _'I swear to God is he tries to kick me in the balls again he is dead.'_

…

Jacob sighed as he walked home. "How could she be at the bottom of this? She'd dead," he whispered to himself. "Don't tell me that the Undeat are playing Duel Monsters too." He thought back to the one duel of hers that he had seen. It was her final duel. Jacob and Avery watched it live on television.

…

"Ladies and gentleman, this is it! The final match of the tournament. Today we have two of the best pros in their league facing off against each other for the first time. The crowds are cheering for both sides. Though both players have extraordinary talent, only one will win. Let the games begin!"

"Mind if I make the first move, Lanceford?" Said a young woman with perfect locks of short brown hair. She wore a beautiful blue dress. A cape hung behind her. It looked like a pair of white angel wings. "I activate the Sanctuary in the Sky. Now I don't take damage when my fairy type monsters are destroyed in battle."

Clouds rolled out on the ground as a beautiful white sanctuary rose from the ground.

Her opponent, a young man in his twenties, smiled at her. "Impressive move, pulling that out on your first turn." He had spiky black hair, wore a red jacket over a black T-shirt, and camo shorts. Dark stubble covered his face.

"If you think that's impressive, wait until I summon this. I summon Arcana Force VII- The Chariot!" (1700/1700) A fearsome contraption hit the field. It resembled a machine more than a fairy. Six mechanical arms shot out from the closest thing it had to a head, and three legs protruded from the bottom of its body. "When an Arcana monster hits the field,"

"I know, I know," Lanceford interrupted. His voice was rough but friendly. "A coin is flipped. If it's heads, you get a powerful effect. If it's tails, you screw yourself over. In this case, I gain control of your monster if it's tails, but if the coin lands on heads, you can Special Summon any monster it destroys in battle."

A coin soared through the air.

Sitting at home, Jacob cheered. "Go Chigusa!"

The coin landed on heads and Chigusa smiled.

"I set one card facedown and activate Angel Fallen into Darkness! By sending a Fairy Type monster in my hand to the grave, I can special Summon a Level 7 or higher Dark Fairy monster from my deck!" She slid one card into her grave and thrust her arm out enthusiastically. "Come on out, Darklord Zerato!" (2800/2300) "Next I'll play Monster Reborn and bring back my Arcana Force XXI- The World!" (3100/3100) Another mechanical contraption joined her field. Soon after, a coin flipped through the air, landing on heads. "Your move."

Lanceford smiled. He drew the top card of his deck. "I really need to get rid of that thing fast. I summon Red Eyes Black Chick!" (800/500) "Next I'll release him to Special Summon Red Eyes Black dragon from my hand." (2400/2000) The famous black dragon descended onto the field, spewing black flames from his mouth.  
"Now I'll use Upstart Goblin. This card allows me to draw an extra card by giving you 1000 Life Points in exchange."

**Chigusa: 9000**

"Next I equip my dragon with Megamorph, doubling his attack to 4800!" Lanceford grinned. "Sorry, Chigu-chan. I attack you're the World with my dragon."

"Go trap card, Angelic Mercy!" Chigusa held out her hand as her Trap card rose from the field. "This let's me redirect my target to my Chariot. Then I discard Honest from my hand. Chariot gains attack points equal to your dragon and slays it."

Chariot's mechanical arms made mincemeat out of the poor dragon.

**Lanceford: 6300**

"Now I Special Summon your dragon to my side of the field." (2400/2000)

"I set three cards face down and end my turn."

Chigusa drew. "I activate Giant Trunade, returning all Spells and Traps to their owners hands!" The female beauty smiled. "Go now and attack him directly, everyone! Full Frontal Assault!"

The attacks all crashed into Lanceford, taking his Life Points down to 0.

"And it's over already folks. Can you believe it? Chigusa proves her skill once again!"

…

'_I have that entire duel memorized,' _thought Jacob. _'Not that there was much to it. Everyone had been expecting an epic battle. Instead, Lanceford got his ass handed to him on a silver platter. They were both great though. It's too bad they both died soon afterwards. Though if what Artemis says is true._

…

"Hey mom, I'm home," Jacob said as he walked through the door.

"How was your day sweetie?" Asked a woman with long violet hair.

"It was okay. Avery and I made a new friend today," he answered with a smile.

"Speaking of Avery, do you know where he is?" Jacob's mother asked. "His parents tried calling his cell phone, but they said he wouldn't pick up."

'_I'm, I'm sure it's nothing,' _thought Jacob. He didn't believe himself.

…

_I should have turned and left, but the thought of losing you was too much to handle. Even if it didn't seem likely, there was always that what if. And when it actually happened, I….._


End file.
